Japan’s ex-premier: state funeral for Shinzo Abe

The funeral ceremonies for Japan’s ex-Prime Minister Abe are highly controversial. While some demonstrated in Tokyo today, others queued up to lay flowers.

No matter which street corner you look around in the Chiyoda district of Tokyo this morning, there are people everywhere. Most are holding a long white plastic bag. Inside: chrysanthemums, lilies, other white cut flowers. Hundreds, thousands, come to work later that day.

Controversial Prime Minister

One woman says: “Abe has served Japan for an exceptionally long time as prime minister. Domestically, he has done much to help the country recover economically. And externally, he has made Japan more valuable. I am very grateful to him for that and I want this demonstrate.”

Other people also express this gratitude: “The media paint a different picture, but Abe gave a lot for Japan,” says one man.

No one has been prime minister for as long as Shinzo Abe, but no one has been as controversial either. That’s why it’s a surprise how many people want to say goodbye to him on this sunny, hot day and lay flowers.

Demonstrations against dubious entanglements

Just over a kilometer away from the place of mourning, there are also many who see things differently. People demonstrate, shouting “We are against the act of state! Cancel the whole thing!”

There are a total of three demos on this day. At the same time as the funeral service. While in polls almost 60 percent of the Japanese are against the act of state for Abe, only a few hundred are taking to the streets this time. The whole thing is too expensive, the involvement of Abe’s LDP party with the Moon sect is too dubious, and the ex-prime minister’s political achievements are too controversial. The discussions beforehand were unusually intense by Japanese standards.

Guests also from Germany

In the Nippon Budokan, actually a hall for martial arts and concerts, there is no sign of this. Shinzo Abe’s widow Akie, dressed in a black kimono, carries her husband’s ashes into the hall in a brown and gold decorated urn and to the thunder of a 19-gun salute.

Under the eyes of US Vice President Kamala Harris and former German Federal President Christian Wulff, the person who most advocated a state act for Shinzo Abe beforehand took the floor. It is the incumbent Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida: “Courage is to do what is right – Mr. Abe, you were the one who had courage. Serious, sincere and determined. Warm and full of empathy. I will miss you dearly.”

Emotional farewell

It gets even more emotional when ex-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga speaks for the friends of his assassinated predecessor: “Prime Minister Abe, you were a leading force that is incomparable in the history of Japan.” Words that made Abe’s widow Akie tears down her cheeks.

Shinzo Abe’s funeral ceremony ends as it began the morning before Budokan: with people queuing to lay flowers. Only this time it’s high-ranking politicians from all over the world.